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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | HRD panel cleared all textbooks, say experts

HRD panel cleared all textbooks, say experts

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published Published on May 16, 2012   modified Modified on May 16, 2012

-The Economic Times

The prospect of political cartoons going out of textbooks is a dangerous one. Lessons will become drab again. Worried scholars say the move could signal a devastating reversal in what was nothing short of a revolution in textbook-writing in India. Besides, an HRD ministry panel had vetted and cleared the text books, they say.

A beleaguered NCERT, which designed and published the books, has set up a committee to review social science textbooks for classes IX-XII to identify what an NCERT official calls "educationally inappropriate" material. He also said that the controversy will claim more casualties - at least four more cartoons are set to go from the class XI political science book that's been at the centre of the storm.

Current officials are reluctant to comment but their anguish is evident. Much work went into the books. Cartoons had to be sourced from around the country and abroad. The textbook transformation was the result of deliberations involving hundreds of scholars and took years, reminds historian Neeladri Bhattacharya, chief adviser to NCERT, History . Once prepared - and this has "puzzled" NCERT's former director, Krishna Kumar - the books were approved by the National Monitoring Committee constituted by the HRD ministry. Changes were made following the National Curriculum Framework of 2005. Now, the furore is threatening to undo much of that effort.

"We've to see these cartoons in the context of a variety of pedagogical strategies used in textbooks to help students think critically," says Bhattacharya. Other instruments were used to explain topics in social science texts - images, maps, charts and paintings. These did not occur by themselves and were usually accompanied by questions that encouraged students to "reflect and think on the material critically." The political science book in question was released in 2006 and the "innovative strategies are used all over the world in textbooks," he says.

He and several NCERT officials insist that the furore has been caused by a complete misreading of Shankar's cartoon. "I wish the members also read the text of the political science book. It praises Ambedkar for his role in drafting the Constitution. In the cartoon, even Ambedkar carries a whip. It's a comment on the making of the Constitution, not the makers," an official says.

"The cartoon in question can have a lasting impression on students that Ambedkar was slow and Nehru was angry with him. They can't keep using reams of cartoons to teach," says J S Rajput, former director, NCERT.

Why Cartoons?

'Indian Constitution at Work' part of an ambitious NCERT project, began in 2006 It put together several books, the disputed book among them Text books vetted by HRD Ministry panel Inclusion of cartoons part of new approach laid down by national curriculum framework

Toonland Soundings

One of my friends drew a cartoonist dressed as a gladiator, and captioned it, the toughest job in the world. It's true. You think being a fi re fighter is diffi cult? Try being a cartoonist

- Dalbir Singh runs the webcomic strip, Sikh Park

This is a symptom of a larger problem: Our society is not open to humour or criticism. Satire has started disappearing even from newspapers. It was surprising that not one MP offered to speak to the protester. Instead, we have Kapil Sibal offering to remove it with immediate effect. This generation of politicians is not as open to satire as Nehru was. He is known to have told Shankar to not spare him

- Sharad Sharma founder, World Comics India

If this kind of censorship existed in Ambedkar's time, he would never have been able to put forward his views on the Hindu religion and the caste system. It is strange that even people who are a part of the dalit movement are supporting this

- Aseem Trivedi cartoonist whose website "Cartoons Against Corruption" was taken off the web for objectionable content

There are many things to do instead of debating cartoons. I don't accept this... We can do with some humor. Cartoon is an ancient art form. Why so much din over it

- Mrinal Sen, filmmaker

Mr Sibal is a lovely man but on this issue he is a bleeding heart who has given into public pressure. We know what this cartoon meant at that time. Generalising the issue ... and pulling off all cartoons from text books is not correct

- Sylvaster Da Cunha founded the Amul Girl

The Economic Times, 16 May, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/hrd-panel-cleared-all-textbooks-say-experts/articleshow/13162097.cms


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